How to Report Cybercrime in Israel (and Get Your Money Back)

Quick answer: If you are a victim of online fraud or a cyberattack in Israel, call the police on 100 and report a suspected attack or scam to the Israel National Cyber Directorate (INCD) hotline on 119 (24/7). Then call your bank or credit card company immediately and ask them to freeze the card and try to recall the transfer. Be realistic: money sent to fraudsters is sometimes recovered if the bank acts within hours, but recovery is never guaranteed, especially for crypto or cross-border transfers.

What to do in 3 steps

1. Call your bank now. Phone your bank or credit card company the moment you notice an unauthorised charge or a transfer you were tricked into making. Ask them to block the card or account, attempt to recall or reverse the payment, and open a fraud case. Speed matters most in the first hours.
2. Report to the police. In an emergency call 100. To file a formal complaint, use the Israel Police online complaint service (you must be registered with GovID) or go to your local station. Complex cybercrime is handled by the police Cybercrime Division within Lahav 433.
3. Alert the INCD. Report the suspicious email, link, malware, or attack to the Israel National Cyber Directorate on 119, available 24 hours a day, or by email to [email protected]. They can guide you on containing the incident and protecting your accounts.

How recovery actually works

Getting money back depends on how fast you move and where the money went. If you report quickly, your bank may be able to freeze the funds before they leave the receiving account or recall a domestic transfer. For unauthorised card charges, the Banking Supervision rules require the bank to investigate and customers are usually not penalised for transactions they did not make. For payments you were deceived into sending, recovery is much less likely, particularly once funds move abroad or into cryptocurrency, which is effectively irreversible. If you believe your bank or credit card company mishandled your case, you can escalate to the Bank of Israel after first exhausting the bank's own ombudsman. There are no guarantees, and you should be cautious of anyone who promises to recover your money for an upfront fee, as recovery scams target people who have already been defrauded.

What to have ready

• Dates, times, and exact amounts of every suspicious transaction.
• The account, card, or wallet numbers involved, including the recipient's details if you have them.
• Screenshots of messages, emails, fake websites, and payment confirmations.
• Any phone numbers, names, or social media profiles the fraudster used.
• Your bank's fraud case or reference number, plus your police complaint number.
• Your GovID login if you plan to file the police complaint online.

Frequently asked questions

Should I call 100 or 119? Use 100 for the police, including reporting a crime and getting a complaint on record for any refund claim. Use 119 to reach the National Cyber Directorate about an active cyberattack, suspicious link, or malware so they can help you contain it. For serious fraud, contact both.

Can I report the crime online instead of going to a station? Yes. The Israel Police offer an online complaint service, but you must be registered with GovID first. In an emergency, still call 100.

The bank says the transfer was authorised because I approved it. What now? First raise it with your bank's ombudsman in writing. If you are not satisfied with how the bank or credit card company handled your complaint, you can submit it to the Bank of Israel's Consumer Enquiries and Inspections Unit, which reviews complaints against banks at no cost.

Sources

• Israel National Cyber Directorate (INCD) contact and 119 hotline
• Israel Police: file a complaint online (GovID)
• Bank of Israel: Consumer Enquiries and Inspections Unit
• Bank of Israel: complaints against a bank or credit card company

For step-by-step reporting and recovery guides covering other countries, see our cybercrime help hub.